Many of BJP’s 17 MPs from the state are reportedly keen to contest the Assembly polls, including CM candidate B S Yeddyurappa (Express Photo/Anil Sharma/File)
Defeat in Alwar and Ajmer seats in the recent Lok Sabha by-elections in Rajasthan seems to have triggered concern in the BJP leadership ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in Karnataka. The party leadership is learnt to have asked Lok Sabha MPs from the state to not contest the state elections, as defeats in bypolls again may adversely impact confidence of party leaders and workers, and bolster the Opposition, going into the General Election.
Many of BJP’s 17 MPs from the state are reportedly keen to contest the Assembly polls, including CM candidate B S Yeddyurappa, a Lok Sabha MP from Shimoga.
While Yeddyurappa, a former CM, has stated that he wants to return to his home constituency of Shikharipura in the state polls, other Lok Sabha members such as Shobha Karandlaje (Udupi-Chikamagalur MP), B Sreeramulu (Bellary) and Prathap Simha (Mysuru) have also expressed interest in contesting from Assembly seats in Bengaluru, Bellary and Mysuru, respectively, sources said.
With the BJP seen as having a good chance of defeating the ruling Congress, MPs who are known to be more comfortable with state politics are keen to return. As of now, however, Yeddyurappa is set to be the only exception, as he has already been named by the party as its CM candidate, sources said.
Shikharipura is currently represented in the Assembly by Yeddyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra, a former MP from Shimoga. Yeddyurappa’s return to Shikharipura is likely to see Raghavendra fighting either from another Assembly seat or Shimoga, to be vacated by his father. Raghavendra was earlier believed to have been scouting neighbouring Rannebennur seat as a possibility in the event his father returned to Shikharipura.
A second candidate who could get the party nod to step down as Lok Sabha MP, according to sources, is Bellary strongman B Sreeramulu, who is a member of the sizable Valmiki Nayak community, which has presence in several constituencies.